Newman Sees Rabbis Trapped into Backing Labor Palestine

February 3, 1935

in order to sign the non-partisan social justice statement are Rabbis Louis Witt and Abram Brill of Shreveport, Louis Binstock of New Orleans; other signatories are Rabbis Louis Binstock of Baltimore, Professor Abraham Cronbach of Hebrew Union College, Rabbis Max Drob, Abraham Burstein, Max Malina, Bernard Drachman of New York; Zwi Anderman, Max Reichler, Melbourne Harris, Victor Eppstein, Marcus Friedlander, David B. Alpert of Tyler, Texas, Albert L. Martin of Bridgeport, Max Raisin. Other rabbis have written in for information regarding the issues involved, thereby demonstrating the fact that the full import of Rabbi Israel’s statement was not understood.

NON-PARTISAN STATEMENT

“It is my belief that this non-partisan social justice statement should be made the basis of a permanent effort to interest American Jewry in social justice ideals in Palestine, irrespective of party. A fundamental principle should be a recognition of the fact that no one party has a monopoly upon the fulfilment of social justice concepts in Palestine, but that they are incumbent upon all groups. I am confident that when a non-partisan resolution is presented at the next session of the C.C.A.R., it will meet with almost unanimous approval, and it will contain no one-sided endorsement of the Histadruth or any other group.

“While my own personal opinions in this matter are unessential, permit me to say that as a member of the Administrative Committee of the Zionist Organization, I am a General Zionist, who at the convention in Atlantic City last Summer, sought to prevent any monopolistic commitments of the organization to the Histadruth. Zionism is the concern of all Jews, and above the interests, expediencies and temporary triumphs of any one party, stand the Yishub itself and All-Israel. In my individual capacity I endeavor to cooperate closely with the American Economic Committee for Palestine of which Mr. Israel B. Brodie is the head. I am convinced that the rabbis of Israel should endeavor to sound the slogan that we are all partners in the common task of upbuilding Eretz Israel.

It is the function of rabbis to assist those who are seeking to promote conciliation between all parties in Palestine, and to encourage cooperation between all economic groups. It is for this reason that we are opposing the inflammatory, deceptive and partisan statement of Rabbi Israel, which has led many of the reform rabbis into a snare from which they will soon wish to extricate themselves. It is only through allinclusive, comprehensive, impartial effort that together we can safeguard in Zion the Jewish heritage of social justice.”